Mortal Kombat(2021) had some problems, but having one very important tournament fight happen inMortal Kombat 2is the key to improving the sequel. TheMortal Kombatfranchise stood out from other fighting games due to its relatively complex story and interesting characters whose backstories were as interesting as seeing them fight. This means that, when it was time forMortal Kombatto get the movie treatment, audiences had certain expectations for what they wanted to see.Mortal Kombat(1995) was a charming film, but it didn’t quite match the tone of the game.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilationcannot be accused of not including characters and terms from the games, but everything else was a disaster. Finally, 2021’sMortal Kombatwas expected to be the modern reboot that would do the franchise justice with an R rating and blockbuster-level visual effects. While the reboot did deliver in that regard – theMortal Kombatcharactersand their signature moves all looked incredible – some story decisions were not well received. This includes making Cole Young, an original character, the protagonist over Scorpion or Liu Kang. Cole Young’s story should continue, butLiu Kang deserves a major momenttoo.
Mortal Kombat 2 Must Include Liu Kang Vs. Shang Tsung In The Tournament
Liu Kang And Shang Tsung Have A Long History In The Franchise
Liu Kang fighting Shang Tsung in the final stage of the tournament seems to be a constant of theMortal Kombatuniverse. From the first game to the recent timelines and everything in between,Liu Kang is usually the chosen one who fights for Earthrealm until the final round of Mortal Kombat.There have been a few exceptions to that rule, but overall, Liu Kang is the closest thing to amain characterMortal Kombathas had for years. Although Scorpion has arguably become the franchise’s most popular character, Liu Kang remains important.
Liu Kang won two tournaments in the originalMortal Kombatgame timeline.
With Shang Tsung representing Outworld in Mortal Kombat, it only makes sense for him to be the final boss of the tournament that is expected to happen in the sequel.Mortal Kombat(2021) strangely skipped the tournamentand instead told a story about Shang Tsung trying to kill Raiden’s champions before the competition. Assuming there will be a traditional tournament inMortal Kombat 2, there is no better way to conclude it than with a classic Liu Kang vs. Shang Tsung fight. This would echo not only their game history but also previous adaptations.
The Mortal Kombat Reboot Focused Too Much On Cole Young Over Liu Kang
Liu Kang Was A Supporting Character In Mortal Kombat 2021
On the one hand, it made sense forMortal Kombat(2021) to move the focus away from Liu Kang. Both 1995’sMortal KombatandAnnihilationare about Liu Kang, especially the 1997 sequel.The firstMortal Kombatmovie even ended with Liu Kang defeating Shang Tsungand winning the tournament, which didn’t matter much since Shao Kahn invaded Earthrealm anyway. Liu Kang also played an important role in the animated films, not to mention the games. Still,Mortal Kombat(2021) barely used Liu Kang despite great casting and characterization.
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Although Liu Kang and Kung Lao are introduced together, we barely learn about their backstories and their history with Raiden.Mortal Kombatfans are more than familiar with the stories of Liu Kang and Kung Lao, but those who never played the games or watched any of the movies wouldn’t know why those characters are so important. The fact that Scorpion, who was front and center in the film’s marketing campaign, also had a relatively small role inMortal Kombatmade the Liu Kang problem even worse. Cole’s story was interesting, butMortal Kombat 2should balance its protagonists better.
Liu Kang Winning The Tournament Against Shang Tsung Would Fix The Reboot’s Biggest Mistakes
It Would Improve Both Liu Kang And Shang Tsung
The first and perhaps biggest issue withMortal Kombatthat the sequel can fix is the lack of a tournament. While I understand that the 2021 reboot wanted to introduce the characters and the world first,not having an actual Mortal Kombat was disappointing. Additionally, Shang Tsung was a very underwhelming villain, especially compared to the 1995 version of the character.Shang Tsung wasn’t given much to do in the rebootand only had one memorable scene – the one where he sucks the soul out of Kung Lao’s body.
Liu Kang is one of the franchise’s greatest characters and will hopefully shine more in the upcoming sequel.
Having Liu Kang and Shang Tsung fight over the fate of the world in the final round of the tournament would be the perfect way to fix the mistakes of the first film and improve both of the characters. Liu Kang can finally have his big moment in this iteration of the franchise, even if he doesn’t win. Likewise, Shang Tsung can feel like a bigger threat, althoughMortal Kombat 2will have to balance the screen time of its villains. Liu Kang is one of the franchise’s greatest characters and will hopefully shine more in the upcoming sequel.
Mortal Kombat II
Cast
Mortal Kombat II: A sequel to the 2021 film Mortal Kombat, this movie continues the saga of Earth’s champions as they face new threats from the Outworld. Building on the original’s mythical universe, the film delves deeper into the lore of the Mortal Kombat tournament and its legendary fighters.
